Autumn Goals.

I thought it would be a good idea to set myself some seasonal goals. And with it now being officially Autumn; my (and everyone else on the internets) favorite season, its the perfect time to start, right? Other than the obvious Autumnal activities; photograph the leaves, carve pumpkins, drink mulled cider and sprinkle cinnamon on everything. Here is what I plan to do, what about you?



- Build Something out of Wood - Back at the beginning of this year I said I really wanted to build my own dining table, I also planned to make wine racks for our home-brews. Dixon even bought me a drill! I just never got around to it, but now I have more room and a garden where I can do some DIY  without the fear of smashing things up. Dining table, planters, shelves. Lets see!

- A Photo an Hour - One a month each month through-out Autumn. I love doing these kind of photo posts, and love capturing every day things, I'm just crappy at making sure I do them on a regular basis. It'll be nice to have a good collection of them to look back on.

- Quilt (v.2) - Right, I set myself the goal of hand stitching a quilt in my 'Eighteen Before Twenty-five' goal list, and I did it; but it was so time consuming and was a crappy excuse for a quilt. This time I want to do one on my machine and actually finish it off properly. I swore I would never quilt again, but I'm going to give it one more try.

- Have a Fireworks Party - What better way to take advantage of having a garden for the first time then setting fire to things and having friends around? Sparklers, Catherine wheels, maybe toffee apples? Mulled wine and music. Fairy lights everywhere.

- At Home Regular Workouts - I just bought myself a yoga mat! When I lived with my parents I would do yoga quite regularly and now I really want to pick it back up. I also bought myself a skipping rope and some little hand weights. If you know me in real life, you probably know I have the weakest arms in existence. I really need to work on that. I'm going to aim for 3 times a week minimum.

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50 Home Crafts - Stitched Clock - 4/50

I made myself a stitchy clock. What do you think? The clock mechanism is from eBay and cost about £4. It came from Hong Kong with no instructions. Dixon had to put it together for me. The stitching took about 30minutes and the fabric is some scrap I had left over! I'm going to re-inforce the back with a bit of card so the hands don't rest against the fabric. I'm pretty happy with it!

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Five Sewing Goals: The Skirt

I made that skirt! It's the second one in this style I have made, but it's first I am completely happy with and super happy (and smug) to wear out in public. I wore it to work the day after I finished it over a plain black vest and with a black cardigan (which I thought looked super smart). Then I found this super cute spotted vest in H&M, perfect paring!

The 'One Hour Skirt' title isn't misleading at all. You really can bust out these babies that quickly! The tutorial is super easy to follow, I had no issues with it at all. I only made one alteration; I added about 6" to my hip measurement so that there was more fabric to bunched up. What do you think?

What next? I want to make a midi-skirt (or two) with pockets, using the same basic pattern. I have already seen some beautiful floral fabric I want to use. AND, I may have found the dress pattern for me over at Dixie DIY.

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The tutorial I used can be found here: One Hour Skirt. &, in case you missed it, you can read my other Sewing goals right here !

12 Months of Bread - 4/12

I know when I set out on this tasty 12 months of bread project I didn't set myself the rule of making one a month. I never planned to do it that way. But... when the 29th snuck around and I hadn't done an April loaf I panicked! The next day, I made these amazing sesame seed buns. So, technically, this is Aprils bread, okay?

I have tried to make burger type buns before, but they turned out brittle and hard (it actually hurt to eat them!). This time I followed this Basic White Roll recipe. I was apprehensive of using soy butter and soy milk as alternatives, I always assume it'll react weirdly! But I don't think this effected the outcome at all. I used soy milk to glaze too, and added sesame seeds gently pressed into the dough. I only cut mine into 4 too.



Lessons Learnt: If I did these again I'd bake them at a lower temperate. The tops were a little brown and the centre just just just cooked. Doh. Kneading dough is so relaxing. Also, greaseproof paper sucks.

Verdict: Pretty tasty! I was super happy that they were nice and soft inside. You could actually taste the sesame too! That was a huge plus for me because I looovvvee sesame seeds. They went perfectly with the kidney bean, carrot and cumin burgers Dixon made us.

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Sewing Goals

Oh god, I go on about this quite a lot don't I? I am a new sewing obsessive. I have the basics down. I can sew straight, I can follow a pattern and I even know some of the fancy stitching words. Now, I'd like to following more detailed patterns, add stuff to stuff and practice. It's time to actually MAKE some things. Things I can wear and use, and be super proud of. The perfect opportunity to set myself some goals!

1. Collars - I love collars. I'd like to learn to make a detachable one, but also to add them to a dresses and tops. Peter-Pan ones mainly. There are a whole load of patterns out there to help me.

2. A Skirt (or two) -  Namely, the Miette from the amazing Tilly and the Button. I have already tackled the very simple One Hour Skirt with some material I had spare, but I will be making it again a little longer and in some fabric I'll actually wear.

3. Pajama Bottom - For Dixon and me! There are a whole load of patterns out there, I can't decide which one to choose. But I do love me some PJ bottoms. Especially when I can choose the fabric! Watermelon PJs are a definite.

4. A Zip-Close Bag - Okay, this may sound pretty simple. I want a light, biggish bag to use whilst in Barcelona, or at the beach this summer. One that is secure and tough. Maybe it can have compartments? Maybe padding too? I'll probably make this from a design in my head.

5. A Dress - I wasn't going to put this on here, because it terrifies me! But what is the point in setting goals if they are easy to achieve? Is something from this store too ambitious? I'd love to make myself a 50's dress. I'm going to track down the perfect pattern.


I'm going to give myself 5 months for this challenge. I'll share with you each thing I make, my lessons learnt, patterns used and rate them on how easy they are. I can't wait to share an outfit with you where I have made the main thing!

I know there are a few of you our there that sew, or are learning to, so maybe I'll inspire you to make yourself something amazing! Most of all though, I'd like you to share you tips with me. Whats your favourite sewing blog? Have you made anything amazing recently?

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Little Reminder: My guest poster search is still open, if you have something amazing to share head a read of this post and get in touch! Thank you to everyone who has already been in touch. I'll be getting back to everyone mid-next week.

50 Home Crafts- Hand-printed Cotton Napkins - 2/50

Most of my spare time recently has been spent sat at my sewing machine. It's great getting to grips with everything again, and I can't wait to make something amazing. I had a sewing machine back at my parents house in my early teens. So it's more refreshing my memory than starting from scratch. But, I am in love!

I have made a few tote bags, a draw string bag, and a whole bunch of cotton napkins. I'll  have a huuggge pile of them soon. I've wanted to get my hand on some napkins for a while. There are some wonderful designs on etsy, but I can never bring myself to pay shipping from America that is more than the product itself. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough, they seem hard to pick up in England. 

I decided to try my hand at stamping some beautiful material I bought from eBay to make my very own one (okay, two) of a kind napkins. Heres what I did;

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Don't they look amazing? I am smitten! I stamped 1 fat quarter and made two napkins. I think if I used the same colours but a smaller stamp it'd make a wonderful peter-pan collar. It'd also be a great table runner, or place mats! The possibilities are endless. Do you have any tips for a almost-noob sewing machinist? 

50 Home Crafts- 1/50

I mentioned recently that I have been brain-storming a whole load of projects and goal ideas for 2013 and beyond. Well, here is another one; 50 Home Crafts. 50 is a big number, huh? It is quite daunting for me to tackle something where I can't see the finish line.

I'm not setting too many restraint. No time limit for example. Food doesn't count. Each individual project should result in something I can have around the house, or something I can gift to friends and family to decorate their own homes. This is all about trying out a whole bunch of new things, but I will be incoporating a few variations on crafts I've done before. So, here it goes! Wish me luck. 1/50.

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I thought that I would start with a little one. I bought this little watercolour on eBay early last year. I was looking for some nice paintings to have over our dining table. After bidding on then losing out on a few I loved, I started bidding on a bunch that I didn't care too much for. You know how eBay is! This was the results of that wild bidding. I did only cost me around £2.50 including postage, so I can't complain. 

So, there it sat for a few months until I decided to make it into a little piece for our hall way. 

I used card for the arrow stencil. Then an old tough paint brush to cover the whole thing in white acrylic paint. I wanted it to be quite thin so a few of the original paint colours showed through. A little rustic! I peeled the stencil off right away  and left it to dry. I then put it back it its original frame (Although I may stain that too at some point). Now, I'm quite fond of it!

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12 Months of Bread - 2/12

Any day I have off work now is going to be filled with bread baking, I can tell. So here it is, the second one in the series. I have been wanting to make focaccia for so long now it shot right to the top of my 'to bake' list. I went ahead and followed this recipe but added fresh rosemary! ps. I promise this isn't becoming a food blog.

 

Lessons Learnt: My weighing scales bowl isn't big enough for 450g of flour. And, cling film melts, doh! Other than that, everything went pretty smoothly. It was quite an easy thing to make.

Verdict: I am so super proud of myself. The focaccia looked and tasted amazing. The rosemary I decided to add made the whole flat smell beautiful. The top was crisp, with a thin crust and soft inside. It was delicious dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Dixons verdict: The best bread either of us have ever made, woo hoo! Next time, I'll add olives.

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20 minutes a day.

The problem with me and fitness is that as I was growing up I never realised it was important. I mean, I wasn't a fat kid. I loved climbing trees and riding my bike. But I never had an active hobby, nothing I'd do on a regular basis or strived to get better at.

Then high school hit, and I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I actually took part in a PE lesson. Exercise and fitness all add up to a good body and health, I didn't get that. I think finally at 23 I may be starting to realise that it just come naturally. Workout is normal and it doesn't have to be a chore.

I also need to keep reminding myself that the results wont happen over night. It will be worth it in the end. Losing a dress size or two would be amazing, but feeling good about myself would be even better.

So, here is my pledge: I will work out for at least 20 minutes each day and review how its going in 3 months. Morning or evening doesn't matter. These will generally be at home (we have weights, a cycle-turbo trainer and I'm investing in a yoga matt), but I will also be swimming and bike riding.


I'll be taking an instagram photograph every day to let you know how I'm getting on. Follow me @chlough or online here. And, please please wish me luck!!

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12 Months of Bread - 1/12

2013 is going to be full of projects and goals. I have listed a few ideas that I want to get stuck into. Some will last the year, some all the way until my goal is complete. The first one I wanted to share hits two birds with one stone as it also strikes off #1 on my Eighteen before Twentyfive: 'Learn to bake my own amazing bread'.

Here is the goal; I will bake 12 new, and different, loaves of bread in 2013. I'm pretty excited about this!! I can almost smell all those different loaves baking. Here we go, wish me luck!

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For my first ever, completely from scratch loaf, I decided to go for something basic. I used this recipe from BBC Good Food;  this is a site I use often, you can filter things down to vegetarian and vegan friendly recipes which is super helpful.

Lessons Learnt:  I had a tough time getting it out! A little of the bottom was torn off. I dusted the tin with flour before baking maybe I need more, or maybe I need an alternative. I also learnt you need a hell of a lot of patience to bake bread.

Verdict: I substitute the white flour for strong wholemeal bread flour. I read this would make it a little denser; which it did, but that didn't ruin it! Tasted great. Perfect for soup dipping. I'm very proud. I can't wait to get onto the next one.

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Left-Over Cloud

I finally got around to finishing the patch work side of my hand-made quilt this week (#13). I'll be ordering the wadding and hopefully finishing it up in the next couple of weeks. Exciting!! I'll share it with you when I'm done. 

The quilt left me with a few left over scraps and not being one to waste the amazing prints, I decided to make a patchwork-cloud! Okay, the shape isn't completely perfect (I couldn't find a pencil!) and it could have done with an iron before stuffing it. But, I quite like it! If only I knew someone who has having a baby, I think it'd be pretty cute hung in a nursery.

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Gone Quilting.

I have a new love, quilting. It's still early days, and up until I get my sewing machine I'm doing it by hand. But I am having the best time. I'm actually really loving stitching by hand, it makes me feel a bit like a grandma, but I'm love sitting, watching TV and stitching my little squares together.

The design I'm working on is a very simple diagonal square pattern. I have been making this one up as I go as far as technique goes, I've struggled to find anything online that gives you the very bare essentials on how to start a quilt. I'll be adding the wadding and backing at the end, is that the right way to go about it? I have gotten myself a book now, which has some completely amazing designs and tips in it, its from the 60s!! You can find it on Amazon if you're interested.

I am very happy with how this one is going (it looks messy in the photos because I have overlap to stitch it all together smoothly, its neat I swear) and can't wait to finish gift it to someone. Gifting it may prove a problem, as it's a baby quilt, and no one I know has kids. I can then move onto a bigger and fancier design. In the mean time you'll find me lusting over some fantastic quilts, and spying on beautiful fabrics.

I would really love if you could share with my any quilting reference sites, videos, photos anything! If you quilt yourself I'd love to see something you've made too.